Read about why I’m doing the 100 Happy Days challenge here. Sign up to participate yourself or join me – for just a day or the remainder of the challenge – the more the merrier. Don’t forget to tag your pictures with #100happydays and #lifesabowlhappydays. Stay connected with Life’s a Bowl on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Below each picture I copied the caption, minus the hashtags #obvi.

Charlie made me happy a lot last week, this week it looks like the focus has shifted to Baby Szed. I always get so excited when we have the opportunity to hear her little {but mighty} swooshing heartbeat or see her on an ultrasound!

Day 9

English muffins make Baby Szed very happy. Which side to eat first? Egg + cheese or almond butter {topped with bananas}?

—– double dose of happiness today —–

Was on my way to bring my husband’s car to get an oil change and saw 2 pups running along the side of the road. My heart started pounding… When I pulled over I saw a lady walking a ways back with a leash in her hand… She shouted “Please help!” and my instincts kicked in. The pups were incredibly friendly and I didn’t have to chase after them for long, but the lady was so thankful. I can’t imagine Charlie ever getting loose and hope a random passerby would do the same thing for me.

Day 10

I’m so happy that {almost} everything is packed and my little family is back together after weeks of traveling. I’m not so happy that the contractor has made no progress and we’re moving tomorrow… Lord, give me patience and strength.

Day 11

Baby Szed and I are supervising the move. It’s been stressful {I may have had a meltdown}, but we’re making progress.

Day 12

Happy to be almost done moving everything. Happy that I married a great man, Happy that Baby Szed has put up with 2 days of my craziness. Happy that our new landlord has agreed to fix everything. Happy that I have a blessed life. Focusing on the positive.

Day 13

I’m hoping that my husband will treat me to Starbucks after this glucose test. Baby Szed is kicking up a storm… We’re hungry!

Day 14

He wakes up with me in the middle of the night when Baby Szed can’t get comfy.

Day 15

In Cape Cod for my cousin’s wedding {a year ago from this past weekend}. If you asked me that night what I thought life would be like a year from now… I never would have imagined that I’d be a mom, he’d be a dad. or she’d be a meme in 3 months.

Day 16

Today marks the first day of the third trimester! So happy! Just left our 28 weeks pregnant appointment. Very thankful that my husband has come to every appointment – love his support. I’m up 2 lbs from our appointment last month and our doctor said that I’m measuring at exactly 28 weeks. Passed my glucose test. Have an ultrasound tomorrow to make sure that lupus isn’t affecting Baby Szed. Still able to workout 5 – 6 days a week. Sandwiches, fruit, & {salted} fresh tomatoes are a few current food favorites. Feeling blessed for an easy pregnancy!

Day 17

So happy that she’s healthy! 3 lbs 1 oz, 71% for length, and still a contortionist ♥ We’re going back 2 more times over the next month to monitor everything. Thanks bunches for all of the positive messages!

Have you ever eaten a mouthful of peppercorns? They’re those tiny black bombshells that most people grind up to make fresh pepper… Except me. Today I took it to a whole new level of crazy and ate what was probably close to 1/8 cup {which sounds even more badass than 2 tablespoons} because I hate letting food go to waste. Especially meatballs.

When I flipped the plastic cover off and started twisting to grind the kernels, the whole top popped off! Peppercorns spewed EVERYWHERE – into my bowl, onto the counter, bouncing across the hardwood floors. It was a spicy mess. Just when I thought that Charlie would eat anything off of the floor, I was wrong. He wanted nothing to do with the menacing kernels.

This week my momma and I are having quality mother-daughter time while Ryan is traveling. Sleeping in my Lily Pulitzer inspired room, having someone to watch The Bachelorette Season Finale with, eating dinner outside on the deck, and being introduced to THE BEST gluten free chocolate chip cookies… The #estrogenparty has been fabulous!

I had a tutoring session at 9:30AM so on my way over to the kiddo’s house I stopped by Starbucks for some “teacher fuel” <– that’s what my students from last year called it.

a banana & a decaf Coffee Light Frappuccino

Between tutoring and a lunch date with my momma, I swung by the gym and did in 45 minutes of cardio. I don’t remember the elliptical being that hard…? The backs of my legs are feeling it today.

Lunch was a treat. My momma and I have been going to the same hole-in-the-wall sushi joint since I was in high school and neither of our orders have changed. Miso soup, ginger salad, and the #3 lunch special {California Roll, no roe + Cucumber Roll} for me, miso soup and shrimp tempura for her.

exchanged the California Roll above because it had mayo {blah} for one with real crab

We had no afternoon plans and since it was a nippy 68*F we decided against the pool. If you’re familiar with the DMV {DC, Maryland, VA} area, you’ve probably heard that the new Silver Line on the Metro started running this past weekend. There are a total of five new stops and a few of them are right near my momma’s house so we decided to take a test ride and go on an adventure.

After spending 10 minutes figuring out how to get a parking ticket to dispense and another 10 minutes getting my momma a Metro card, Dumb & Dumber finally made it onto the train. It was hilarious, we couldn’t stop laughing at ourselves and neither could the Metro employees!

We took the Silver Line to the Eastern Market and sampled our way through the outdoor stands before perusing the shops inside. It was my first time visiting during the week {my momma’s first time ever}, but I was surprised by how few vendors there were compared to the weekend.

While walking I munched on an apple and some peanut butter sandwich crackers. We eventually wandered into a baby store, passed by the Capitol Building, and then walked over to Union Station to catch the Metro home.

Beef burritos were what we planned to make for dinner, but after our big adventure we both agreed to save the cooking for tonight. I ended up making an orzo dish and served it with a small salad, cheesy tortillas, and a helping of organic ketchup because I currently can’t get enough of the stuff. It was very random, but satisfying.

And since I have to end every day on a sweet note, dessert was eaten while watching Extreme Weight Loss. OH.MY.GOSH. A little secret… Trader Joe’s makes THE BEST gluten free chocolate chip cookies. Although I typically prefer my cookies to be full of gluten, dense, and chewy, these were delicious – buttery, crispy, very chocolatey, and no icky gluten free flour aftertaste. My momma says that she’s been buying them from years… I don’t know why she’s now just sharing them with me.

Question: Extreme Weight Loss or The Biggest Loser – which do you prefer? I think that I like Extreme Weight Loss better?! I know that’s a bold statement considering I’ve only watched it once, but I like how the trainers focus on one person and his/her goals, not a group of people. Also, the weight loss doesn’t seem as dramatic and the contestants seem to be provided with more knowledge than on TBL.

First and foremost, I need to say happy birthday to the most important woman in my life… Happy Birthday, Momma! I love you so much!

on the Cape for my cousin’s wedding, summer 2013

Per tradition, the birthday boy/girl gets to choose where we dine on his/her birthday and this year my momma picked J. Gilbert’s. We all love it – the seafood is my favorite, Ryan and Danny love their steaks, and my momma loves their bar (they make a mean cosmopolitan).

Thought #2:Whatdo you call it – frosting or icing? I use the terms interchangeably (see above), but through a little investigation, I learned (via this post) that there are some who believe that there is a difference. They say that frosting is thicker (butter/cream base), icing is thinner (simple sugar base), and even add a third into the mix, a glaze.

Thought #3: If you could go back in time to any age, what would it be? I’m actually very happy with my current age so I’ll stay at 24-years-old. If I had to choose a different age, I’d prefer to fast forward than rewind.

Thought #4: What’s your most memorable birthday party? My momma spoiled my brother and me when we were kids. Pinatas were essential, lots of food and cake was consumed, and oftentimes there was some sort of talent. One year I had a puppet show which was pretty cool, but my absolute favorite party was my Power Ranger themed birthday. I was super psyched to have the pink and green Power Rangers make an appearance! We were instant best friends (ironic that pink and green are still my favorite colors?).

Thought #5: Would you rather be surprised or in-the-know on your birthday? I love surprises, but I’m nosy and as soon as I start to suspect anything, I start digging and looking. Not to mention, when I’m on the flip-side (planning the party), I have a hard time keeping the surprise a secret… I’ve been known to spill the beans.

Thought #6: Ice cream cake – yay or nay? Yay! The chocolate crunchies between layers are my favorite – I wish I could eat them straight from a bowl with a large spoon.

Thought #7: How do you feel when you unwrap gifts in front of a crowd? Awkward. Don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly grateful and thankful to receive the gifts, but unwrapping them in front of a crowd can be overwhelming. Like that time my momma gave me lingerie at my bridal shower where both my friends and her friends were in attendance… I turned 50 shades of red.

Thought #8: What’s your favorite birthday tradition? Birthday dinner.

Thought #9:Do any celebrities share the same birthday? There are a handful of hunky men who share my momma’s birthday but more women share my birthday. Check your birthday here.

Thought #10: Do you sing “Happy Birthday”? Even if you’re out in public? Yes! We’ll be singing tonight 😉

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Meet Allison

Allison is a wife, momma, and teacher turned stay-at-home mom. She indulges in strong coffee, big salads, doughy carbs, and spoonfuls of peanut butter. Despite encountering a few health hiccups over the years, Allison has maintained an active lifestyle and enjoys taking her dog for walks, going to the gym, and running road races.

I am not a doctor, nor a nurse. I am not a personal trainer, nor a therapist. I am simply a girl who enjoys sharing her adventures, personal preferences, and experiences with those who choose to read LAB. Please remember that it is important to consult a certified professional before making any health related decisions.